Will Instant Delivery Survive Post-Covid?

Inflation is on the rise, the economy is in a downturn, and consumers have returned to shopping in-person in pursuit of discounts—all of which spells trouble for instant-delivery companies.

Survey: Purpose-led Brands See Far Higher Revenue Growth than Incumbents

A new survey shows the value that having a clear sustainability mission can have for purpose-led brands in the CPG space.

COLUMN: Honest Tea and the Challenge of Scaling New Brands at Public Companies

Earlier this year, Coca-Cola (KO) chose to shut down most of the Honest branded beverage business it had acquired from Seth Goldman years earlier. Shutting down an acquisition is a rare decision in CPG firms. …

COLUMN: Operator Notes Foodservice Lessons Learned from COVID-19

When COVID-19 crashed into my booming New Jersey food truck business in 2020, the damage was significant: State lockdowns quickly led to catering event cancellations that resulted in massive revenue losses. Not only that, but …

‘Cookie Wars’ Rev Up Over Lawsuit in Utah

Cookie chain Crumbl is suing a pair of smaller competitors, alleging their packaging and presentation are too similar to its own.

Survey: Retailers Must Strategize to Maximize Potential Amid Inflation

If inflation continues to rise, 57% of retailers will continue to boost everyday prices, according to a new survey. Should this occur, retailers need to take care as they chart their path forward.

Robots Can Benefit Grocers If They Can Master the Process

Retailers including Walmart and Kroger have embraced in-store robots to help keep stores clean on a consistent schedule, and the automated tools offer benefits for any retailer to enhance its operations.

Experts’ Top 3 Flavor Trends to Watch in 2023

New flavor trends are emerging at the intersection of persistent food inflation and pent-up consumer demand leftover from COVID lockdowns.

LA Adopts Plant-Based Treaty to Fight Climate Change

With climate change threatening major changes that will affect food production, activists are promoting the Plant-Based Treaty.

Survey: Tracking Gen Z Food Preferences

Here are key stats on what, and where, Gen Z is eating these days, according to Piper Sandler’s Fall Taking Stock with Teens survey.

Next Successful Franchise Opportunity Could Be Ramen

Interest in ramen has grown over the past five years, with mentions of ramen entrees increasing more than 32% during the period, mostly at full-service restaurants.

Report: Loyalty Members Defying Inflation with Higher Spending

Loyalty spending reached the highest point on record across all restaurant and convenience store concepts in 2021. This traction reflects the value of loyalty programs as a source of revenue during inflationary periods. According to …

Restaurants Get Creative to Aid Consumers Reeling from Inflation

It’s been a year of shifting priorities as inflation firmly holds its grip on the US economy. For those in the food industry, it’s a battle over managing prices while facing limited supplies and labor. …

Gen Z Expert: Authenticity Key to Effective Influencer Endorsements

Six months into the Kim Kardashian Chief Taste Consultant experiment for Beyond Meat, the stock is trading lower than ever. In today’s truth- and value-centered market, do influencer endorsements help or hinder a product?

Florida Citrus Industry Faces Uphill Battle after Hurricane Ian

The impacts of Hurricane Ian are still being analyzed, but one thing is certain: the Florida citrus industry’s losses will be staggering. That’s according to The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, …

Column: Why Investors are Wary of Kroger-Albertsons Merger

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission will need to approve Kroger and Albertsons’ planned merger, and that agency has taken a skeptical view of corporate consolidation in recent years.

Food Prices Negatively Impacting Consumers’ Outlook on Inflation

Food inflation has been a major contributor to CP’s steady climb, and is negatively impacting consumers’ outlooks on inflation in the future.

Execs: Food Industry on Verge of Major Tech Transformation

The food industry is on the precipice of a tectonic shift, according to industry insiders. Technology is the driving force behind the projected change.

Millennials, Gen Z Key to Plant-Based Advancement

Despite industry-wide challenges, both dairy and meat plant-based alternatives are forecast to grow through 2024, driven almost entirely by Millennials and Gen Zers. According to a recent report by The NPD Group, these plant-based consumers …

Energy Crisis?: What Bang’s Financial Woes Signify for Energy Drinks

The maker of Bang energy drinks recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but the overflowing energy drinks category appears to be on relatively solid footing for the foreseeable future.

Manufacturers Cut Costs with ‘Skimpflation’ – and Savvy Consumers Take Note

Some food brands have reformulated their products using cheaper ingredients – a tactic some refer to as “skimpflation.”

Survey Suggests Takeout, Deliveries Increasingly Popular

Inflation be damned, consumers are ordering more delivery and takeout orders today than they were prior to the recent increase in the cost of living. New global research shed light on consumer behavior and delivery …

UPDATE: What Kroger, Albertsons’ Merger Means for Grocery Industry

Kroger Co. will merge with rival U.S. grocer Albertsons Cos. – a move that will create a grocery giant.

‘Never Seen Anything Like This’: HPAI Has Affected 47M Birds So Far

One university research scientist said the bird flu outbreak of 2022 is unprecedented, and the outbreak shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

IRI: 5 Keys to Drive CPG Growth in 2023

As inflation continues, consumers are responding by shopping value channels more and buying fewer premium meals and snacks, according to IRI.

WATCH: Extreme Weather Continues to Threaten Supplies

Extreme weather events are making their impact felt across the globe, and that’s putting a strain on global food production and distribution.

The Food Institute Acquires Latin America-focused Food Media Assets

NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2022/FINewswire/– The Food Institute, the leading source for food industry news, data, and trends, announced today that the Company has acquired four Latin America-focused food media platforms: Global Fruit Latam, Global …

How to Address Shoppers’ Health and Wellness Demands

Many shoppers remain health-conscious these days, despite rising food prices – 29% of consumers will pay a premium for products with health and wellness attributes.

Breaking Down Plant-Based Egg Advancements

The projected size of the plant-based egg market continues to rise. Here are a few noteworthy advancements across this emerging segment.

Hurricane Ian Takes Toll on Florida Agriculture

Florida’s citrus industry appears to have borne the brunt of Hurricane Ian. Reports from the region indicate that the damage could potentially be worse than after Hurricane Irma, which cut Florida citrus production by a …

Cultured Meat Growth Poised to Accelerate

Cultured meat – meat produced by growing animal muscle cells in a culture medium – currently represents a tiny share of the global food dollar, but growing concern about the impact of raising animals for …

Analysis: Why World Hunger is Worsening

World hunger has gotten significantly worse in recent years, with the World Food Program reporting 345 million people suffering from it.

Pickles Surging in Popularity

Pickles have been around for thousands of years, yet they appear to be as popular as ever. Whether as a side or as a burger topping, pickles have become a true staple at restaurants, especially …

QSRs Lamenting ‘Line Balk’ Trend

Much like remote working and zoom conferencing, long waits at the drive-thru line are a pandemic vestige that just won’t go away. And that’s causing line balk among consumers. As COVID-19 took hold in the …

Expert: Shoppers Looking Across Variety of Retailers for Best Deal

Grocery delivery is here to stay, but the option can be costly for grocers. Here is expert advice from fulfillment professionals on how to maximize profitability.

Trends Impacting the Dairy Industry

Jennifer Pricco Braasch is a managing director with City National Bank’s Food & Beverage Group. Based in Milwaukee, she supports industry executives with creative financing solutions and industry intelligence. The Food Institute recently asked her …